The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) reported that the scheduled refloating operations for the submerged dredge pipeline were delayed by severe fog. This afternoon Weeks Marine was able to resume the pipeline removal operations during the scheduled 12-hour closure (0700 hours to 1900 hours) but the pipeline removal was not successful. During the refloating process a section of the submerged dredge pipeline broke off (again). Weeks is performing surveys over the remaining sections of the pipeline and plans to reopen the channel will be developed based upon those surveys. The channel closure was scheduled to be completed at 1900 hours at this time the closure is not expected to extend beyond 1900 hours but the channel does remain closed from Mile 2.0 Above Head of Passes to Mile 0 (Head of Passes). The USACE expects to host a conference call with industry stakeholders tomorrow to develop new plans to refloat the remaining sections of the submerged dredge pipelines.
With You,
Sean
Sean M. Duffy, Sr.
Executive Director
Standing By Channel: (504) 338-3165
Big River Coalition
